In Laurence Roberts’ short film, Shelter, Taryn (Madison Angus) and Conor (Sameer Jawar) travel along a desolate country road, trying to survive in the aftermath of a mysterious event called “the shift.” Through voice-over, Taryn speaks to her unborn child about the three essentials of survival: food, water, and, most importantly, shelter. When they come across an abandoned research complex, the two see it as a potential refuge. Its dank interior feels cold and unwelcoming.
Inside, they find old files scattered about. Soon, their exploration is interrupted by an ominous groan echoing through the halls. As night falls, Conor urges them to leave, but Taryn becomes ill with a fever, forcing them to remain. With no water and dwindling strength, Conor ventures deeper into the facility in search of supplies. As they say, never split up.
Screenshot
“Soon, their exploration is interrupted by an ominous groan…”
Shelter is all about creating the right horror tone. Right from the start, the stage is set for our two protagonists as they struggle to survive in a new world, day by day. Before you know it, their world is turned upside down by what they find in the lab.
In the second half of the film, we see filmmaker Roberts in action, finding the perfect location in the woods, using darkness and a striking brown color palette to set the mood for a scare or two. This approach enhances the performances of its leads, Madison Angus and Sameer Jawar. At a brisk eight minutes, Shelter plants the seed for a much bigger tale.
"…set[s] the mood for a scare or two."
